Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: Nick Reiner Smirks in Court As His Famous Attorney Walks off The Case | Crime Alert Recap 01.10.2026

Release Date: January 10, 2026
Host: Crime Stories Team (Jennifer Gould reporting)

Main Theme

This episode delivers a rapid-fire breakdown of the day’s most shocking and high-profile crime stories. The central focus is the dramatic shakeup in the Nick Reiner double-murder trial after his powerhouse attorney dramatically quits, but the episode also recaps major legal developments involving Harvey Weinstein, a heartbreaking Tennessee familicide, and a puzzling double homicide in Ohio.

1. Nick Reiner Double Murder Trial Meltdown

[00:33 – 04:48]

Key Points & Timeline

• Courtroom Chaos:

  • Nick Reiner, son of famed director Rob Reiner and Michelle Singer Reiner, is accused of murdering his parents in December 2025.
  • In a dramatic turn, his high-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson (famed for defending Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey) abruptly withdraws from the case mid-court appearance.
    • Quote: “No choice but to walk away from the case.” — Alan Jackson [01:13]
  • Jackson attributes the split to “circumstances beyond Nick's control.”
  • Speculation mounts that the Reiner family cut funding for legal fees, leaving Nick to face the death-penalty case with a public defender.

• Grisly Crime Details:

  • The murder scene at the Reiner Brentwood mansion is described as a “blood drenched war zone.”
  • Victims were found with throat slits in their beds after a family fight at Conan O’Brien’s home.
  • Nick Reiner, described as a troubled addict with 17 stints in rehab, was arrested nearby hours after the killings.
  • Prior LAPD records show repeated domestic incidents at the Reiner residence over the past decade.

• Legal Prospects:

  • New public defender Kimberly Greene now scrambles with the looming threat of a death penalty.
  • DA Nathan Hockman signals the case will be tried as a “multiple murder special circumstances” eligible for capital punishment.
  • Next court date set for February 23, 2026.
    • Quote: “Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that. Print that.” — Legal Analyst [02:24]

• Notable Moment:

  • Nick’s reaction to losing his lawyer: “Let out an eerie, chilling smirk” [01:13]

2. Harvey Weinstein Considers Guilty Plea Amid Tumult

[04:48 – 09:10]

Key Points & Timeline

• Legal Developments:

  • Former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein contemplates a guilty plea to avoid a third New York trial and additional prison time.
  • Judge Curtis Farber denied Weinstein’s effort to overturn a previous conviction; a new trial for unresolved third-degree rape is set for March 3.
  • Weinstein insists:
    • Quote: “I acknowledge my unfaithfulness and wrongful actions, but I have never assaulted anyone.” — Harvey Weinstein in court [04:48]

• Jury Turmoil:

  • Weinstein’s lawyers claim previous verdict was compromised by jury bullying, infighting, and external pressures.
  • Juror statements describe feeling “threatened... I just gave in.”
  • Judge Farber refutes these claims as normal jury tensions—not grounds for dismissal.

• Big Picture:

  • This legal saga spans two states and nearly a decade, at the heart of the #MeToo movement.
  • Weinstein has consistently denied all non-consensual contact and is appealing his California convictions as well.

3. Tennessee Familicide: A Father Speaks Out

[09:10 – 11:10]

Key Points & Timeline

• Tragedy Strikes:

  • Heather Thompson allegedly killed her two sons and elderly grandmother before taking her own life in Humphreys County, Tennessee.
  • Victims: Arias Thompson (4), Isaiah Johnson (13), Evelyn Johnson (88).
  • Jeremiah Thompson, the boys' father/stepfather, shares his devastation:
    • Quote: “If you’re feeling overwhelmed…you can just say…take the boys for the summer. I would have gladly done that.” — Jeremiah Thompson [10:36]

• Emotional Fallout:

  • J. Thompson voices shock at having missed warning signs and reflects on numbness and loss.
    • Quote: “In the first four or five hours, I think I cried out, I’m numb to everything… it does suck.” [10:12]
  • The investigation continues; the community is raising funds for burial.

4. Ohio Dentist and Wife Found Executed: A Twisting Mystery

[11:10 – 15:26]

Key Points & Timeline

• Mysterious Murders:

  • Dr. Spencer Tepe and wife Monique discovered shot to death in their Columbus home while kids slept unharmed.
  • A cryptic 911 call from the home two months earlier indicated serious but “not physical” domestic strife, but Monique’s brother-in-law asserts the caller’s voice wasn’t Monique’s.

• Unsolved Intrigue:

  • Days before the murder, a neighbor reports a terrifying attempted break-in.
  • On the morning of December 30, the couple’s coworkers discover their bodies after Spencer fails to arrive at work—children’s cries are heard through the window.
  • Police find evidence of an intruder (spent shell casings, no forced entry) and release footage of a hooded figure near the scene.
  • Police “emphatically dismiss” murder-suicide; motive and perpetrator remain unknown.
  • Quote: “Friends say the Tepes were ‘madly in love’…still acted like newlyweds.” [13:32]

• Call for Tips:

  • Columbus Homicide and Crime Stoppers seek any leads.

Notable Quotes

• Alan Jackson on withdrawal: “No choice but to walk away from the case.” [01:13]
• Legal Analyst on Nick Reiner: “Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that. Print that.” [02:24]
• Harvey Weinstein’s courtroom statement: “I acknowledge my unfaithfulness and wrongful actions, but I have never assaulted anyone.” [04:48]
• Jeremiah Thompson (familicide father): “If you’re feeling overwhelmed…you can just say… take the boys for the summer. I would have gladly done that.” [10:36]
• On the Ohio Tepe couple: “Friends say the Tepes were ‘madly in love’…still acted like newlyweds.” [13:32]

Important Timestamps

• Nick Reiner trial chaos: [00:33 – 04:48]
• Harvey Weinstein’s legal moves: [04:48 – 09:10]
• Tennessee familicide coverage: [09:10 – 11:10]
• Ohio dentist couple double homicide: [11:10 – 15:26]

Episode Tone & Style

The reporting is fast-paced, packed with lurid and unsettling details, and delivers a blend of legal analysis and human emotion. Jennifer Gould adopts an investigative, urgent tone, relaying quotes from legal figures, victims’ relatives, and direct source material. The episode’s structure gives each case ample room for dramatic detail and analysis, matching Nancy Grace’s trademark “tough questions” style even in Grace’s absence.

Overall Summary

This episode immerses listeners in the raw immediacy and complexity of America’s most shocking recent crimes. From a celebrity murder trial thrown into disarray and Hollywood’s most notorious mogul contemplating a plea, to personal stories of anguish and unresolved double homicides, the stories are gripping, emotional, and filled with the twists that make true crime so compelling. Listeners come away both informed and unsettled, with justice hanging stubbornly in the balance.